After what seemed like an eternity, Luis Francesco Arena (real name Pierre-Louis François) graced us once again with his soothing presence back in April. Returning to the dreamy indie folk rock he crafts so well with the help of Nicolas Ceuille, the French artist glided back into our lives with the sublime album High Five. Surely a testament not only to the quality of his fifth studio outing, also likely a prediction of the gesture shared by the many who had eagerly awaited such a solid return after a six-year absence. Today, Everything Is Noise is proud to bring you the video premiere for the wonderful track “With New Eyes”!
High Five strikes a particularly beautiful chord with me, as a father myself for the first time. For those who have not yet experienced its gentle-yet-punchy energy: it is inspired by (and centres on) the encounters and personal journey of LFA as he ventured into the uncharted territory of fatherhood. The album showcases an evolution of both sound and man, then.
“With New Eyes” captures a snapshot of this adventure, littered with lyrical musings that warm the heart and give frank and fond offerings on a new father’s state of mind. LFA enlightens:
‘I wrote this song for my elder son, he was born in a room with a big palm tree painted on the wall. My father who passed away when I was a kid, used to love palm trees very much, he painted one on a wall at my grandparents’ long ago. It felt like he was here as well when my kid arrived.’
It’s an example of the deep-seated sentimentality behind something seemingly simple.
The video itself – directed by the charming Comète Cosmique – completes the experience, combining digital illustrations with paper craft decoration. Silhouetted undergrowth teases views of colourful mountain scenes and underwater life, before opening up to the vast night sky following the whimsical line, ‘there’s much to see out there/with new eyes’. After the psychedelic closing moments, you realise it’s a visual treat that comforts and draws you in, giving a tangible sense of the awe of creation he feels as a father.
With the sound of “With New Eyes” fresh in your ears (and now eyes), why not check out the rest of High Five? The record was released on April 12 through A Tant Rêver du Roi, and can be purchased or streamed here. News and updates can be found on LFA‘s Facebook.
